Historic Dollartown | Town of Midland

In partnership with the Town of Midland Heritage Committee, the Town of Midland has begun a journey to rediscover and celebrate Dollartown as a historic neighbourhood.

The Town of Midland, as we know it today, did not exist before 1913. Prior to that year, the area stretching from Russel Street east to the water’s edge was part of “Dollartown.”

Dollartown officially became part of Midland on Monday, January 8, 1913, by an Order of the Ontario Railways Municipal Board. This order extended Midland’s municipal boundary eastward from Russell Street to the water’s edge, annexing land from Tay Township and officially absorbing Dollartown.

What was Dollartown?

Dollartown was its own community, located on land that was officially part of Tay Township. Unlike Midland, Dollartown was not an incorporated town. Despite this, the name Dollartown was used in an official capacity from at least 1900 to 1918, appearing in various publications, including the 1904 Town of Midland fire insurance map.

In 1904, Dollartown had an estimated population of 800, compared to Midland's 3,800.

View Dollartown Map

How Dollartown got its name?

Dollartown was named for the Dollar Brothers, Robert (1844-1932), John (1846-1892), and James (1849-1897). The Dollar brothers were the first to establish a lumber yard and mill on Midland Bay. The brothers emigrated to Canada with their parents from Falkirk, Scotland. The brothers worked in logging mills, eventually moving to Midland and they worked under Herman Henry (HH) Cook. By 1880, John bought land in Midland and established the Ontario Lumber Company (OLC). The OLC was only operated by the Dollars for a short period until 1892. In 1899, George Chew purchased the mill from the Dollars.

Although Dollartown is named for the Dollar Brothers, the Dollar family were only in Midland for a relatively short period of time. Shortly after the sale of the OLC to George Chew, the Dollar family moved to California to pursue other business interest. All three brothers are buried in California where their family estate, known as the Falkirk Cultural Centre, is located in San Rafael, California.

Dollartown Street Signs

The Historic Dollartown Street sign project, launched in 2015, was conceived by the Midland Heritage Committee to recognize the historic community of Dollartown. The recognition of historic communities such as Dollartown provides residents a connection to a shared past and creates tourism and economic development opportunities by attracting visitors seeking to learn about newly re-discovered Canadiana. The Town of Midland will recognize Dollartown with the installation of 77 unique 'Historic Dollartown Street Signs'. The new signage will be installed at all intersections within the historic community to clearly identify its historic boundaries.